Instead of posting links to Making Do Ideas on this blog now (I'll just post my own projects here though they are few and far between now), I'm now posting them on my Pinterest Board named Making Do Stuff.
You do not have to have a Pinterest account to see it.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Formal Dresses for Dress Up Clothes

I have always wondered at the thought that went through the thrift store employee's mind that thought pricing fluffy out-of-date 80s prom dresses/wedding gowns for $20+ was a good idea, but I have been on the look out for the the frilly 80s dresses believe it or not. My mother's boss when I was a teenager, cut down a few prom dresses to fit her kid, which I thought was neat, but this lady is an actual knows-what-she's-doing sewer.

But, since I have been keeping my eyes peeled this last year for formals to do this with, not knowing how well I can refashion them, I made a deal with myself that I would not consider any above $5. Amazingly, I spent no more than a dollar on any of the 8 that I picked up and one just happened to fit me which I like! Since it was in the dollar bag sale and it evened out that I got it for 3 cents, it hangs in my closet for sheer silliness. Not that it has the chance to see the light of day, but one can hope.

Anyway, so I had 7 dresses that either didn't fit me if they were nice ones or awful 80s poofy things and a lucky find of a flower girl dress. I have been debating on how to do this, because I don't want to make them all so small for my (almost) 3 year old and then have to go through the whole process again for her when she gets bigger, plus, I don't think I am skilled enough to really cut them down to size. So, how to sew them so the 2 year old can play in them, but still be salvagable or resewable so that they grow with her?

Basically, I did 3 things to the dresses. I took all the bodice seams and folded them up and sewed them in about 2 inches. Each dress has two seams in front and two seams in back. That makes most of them fit the size of a 2-5 year old (they are a bit big on the 2 year old). I am doing all my sewing in a color that doesn't match the item so that in a few years when I have to let these things out, I can easily identify the seams to rip.

Then I took the bottom of the dress if it was a long one and pulled it up inside the dress to the waistband of the dress and just tacked it there with about 2 inches of sewing. This makes it able to be a dress where my kiddos feet can poke out, capable of walking around in it, gives her a train (what girl doesn't want a train?) and yet I don't have to cut it and I can let it down as she gets older.

And then I had to bring in the sleeves somehow. Each dress was different. The one with the spaghetti straps, I just tucked in the straps and sewed the shoulder pieces together, a few I tacked it down onto the neckline, but most of them I just folded the shoulder down, creating a loop and tacked it together so that the arm hole is smaller, but the sleeve isn't cut. The seam will just have to lay back against her shoulder. I hope that is as clear as mud. The arrow furthest right shows the sleeve gather, the other two show the 2 inch seams around the bodice.

Hmmm, wonder if anyone but me understands that picture!

Here's a room full of dress up clothing, my child's favorite activity, now complete with two handfuls of formal dress up clothes.

Hi, I found your blog when Heather posted about you on Blissful Kids. I don't own any formal wear myself, not even old ones, so I waited until Goodwill had it's $2 clothes sale this Saturday and picked up some dresses. I've only done one so far, but both my girls LOVE it! Thank you for a lovely piece of inspiration. I'll post the dress I made on my blog and link to you.